Corsair 350D Review

Corsair Obsidian 350D Introduction:

When I think of high end cases, one of the first names that comes to mind is Corsair. And why not? Corsair has been around since 1994, and are perhaps best known as a premier manufacturer of memory. But in recent years it has expanded into the world of power supplies, CPU cooling, SSDs (Solid State Drives), and computer cases, as well as a wide range of gaming hardware. In my experience over the years, one thing that always stands out with Corsair is the quality. The materials and workmanship are always top-notch and we will soon see if it hits the mark again.

A year or so ago I purchased a 500R and loved it - and at the time, I really hadn't considered the Obsidian series. So let's talk about it. Obsidian is actually a type of rich (usually black) volcanic glass that ancient people often used to make spear and arrow heads. And the Obsidian series indeed leaves a sharp impression with the 550D, 650D, 800D, and 900D. Their squared off style and brushed aluminum front fascia let you know that these cases mean business. These are high end cases topping out at $349 retail for the 900D. Tons of space and features are the stadard for the Obsidian Series. This case today allows for either a top or front mounted radiator up to 240mm in size, so I am anxious to jump into the build process.

As the micro ATX and mini ITX motherboards are gaining popularity, Corsair have realeased the 350D to add flexibility to the series and let builders of smaller (but still powerful) systems enjoy what the Obsidian Series has to offer. So today we will review the Obsidian 350D mini ATX case with the side window. It is also available without a side window.

Corsair Obsidian 350D Closer Look:

First, let's look at the box. We have a plain brown box with black text and a nice graphic on the front and back sides. The exploded view gives you an idea of all the components before you ever get it out of the box. The sides and front of the box highlight the features. It supports a 240mm radiator in the front and on top, and 380mm (14.96 inch) long graphic cards. Two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports appear on the front of the case.

The large Styrofoam end caps keep everything well protected, and the plastic bag does its job and protects the case. There were two strips of masking tape to hold the front cover on while shipping.

And here we are out of the box. The side window really lets you see inside, which is our next stop!